Ida Cook

Background

Ida Cookwas born on 24 August 1904 in Sunderland, County Durham, England. When Ida was two and Louise was five, the family moved to the London suburb of Barnes, near Wandsworth, and then in 1912 back north to Alnwick in Northumberland

Education

With Ida's elder sister Mary Louise Cook, she attended the Duchess' School in Alnwick.

Career

Between 1936 and 1985, Ida Cook wrote 112 romance novels as Mary Burchell for Mills & Boon. She helped to found, and from 1966 to 1986 was the second president of, the Romantic Novelists' Association. In 1950 she wrote her autobiography, We Followed Our Stars, later re-edited and expanded as Safe Passage. She was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1956.

Achievements

• Ida Cook and her sister rescued Jews from the Nazis during the 1930s. The sisters helped 29 people escape.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Curtain Rises 1979
  • When Love is Blind 1978
  • A Song Begins 1975
  • Remembered Serenade 1975
  • Golden Harlequin Library Volume XIII Dear Sir; Nurse at Ryeminster; the Blue Caribbean 1971
  • Nightingales 1980
  • Pay Me Tomorrow 1974
  • Stolen Heart 1977
  • When Love's Beginning 1970

• Other Work

  • Music of the Heart (Warrender Saga Book 6) - Kindle edition by Mary Burchell. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. 2017

Personality

Ida was the more gregarious child, she was inclined to entertain the room with her chatter.

Physical Characteristics: Ida had one or two teeth protruding at odd angles, heavy eyebrows and hair frizzed about her ears.

Interests

• Music & Bands

  opera

Connections

Father:

James Cook

Mother:

Mary Brown

Sister:

Mary Louise Cook

Friend:

Maria Callas

Friend:

Clems Krauss

Friend:

Tito Gobbi